Leaders across Lango say deteriorating roads are cutting off communities, raising transport costs and undermining access to markets and public services, as they demand government explanations for the region’s limited representation in planned infrastructure upgrades.
Heavy rains are worsening road conditions across the Lango Sub-region, leaving motorists struggling through muddy routes, farmers facing rising transport costs and residents finding it increasingly difficult to reach markets, health facilities and other essential services.
The situation has prompted local leaders to question why several priority roads in the nine districts and Lira City appear to have been left out of planned national road upgrades, raising concerns about equity in the distribution of infrastructure funding.
David Kennedy Odongo, the former Alebtong District chairperson, said the government should explain why the region's priority roads had not been adequately reflected in the planned upgrades.
“We demand an explanation from the rightful authorities. Why is it that the entire sub-region was neglected and not planned for the entire financial year?” Odongo asked.
Among the roads leaders want addressed are Amolatar-Dokolo, Lira-Aloi-Otuke-Abim-Kotido, Corner Molem-Aboke through Iceme, Ngai and Bobi, and Ngeta-Baralegi. They say the routes have previously been proposed for improvement but remain in poor condition.
Odongo said deteriorating roads had weakened connectivity between Lira City and neighbouring districts, citing the Lira-Alebtong road and Apala-Aloi-Dokolo route as particularly difficult to navigate.
“You cannot connect from here to Otuke. It is impassable. You cannot connect easily from Oyam to Apac. It is impossible,” he said.
Poor connectivity, he added, was making travel for business, education, healthcare and other essential activities increasingly difficult for residents moving between Lira, Otuke and Oyam.
Odongo said the distribution of infrastructure funding should reflect the needs of communities rather than political considerations.
“It is the question of equity. It is about equity. How are we distributing the national cake? The national cake is not only the appointment. The one that translates exactly to the last person, to the common man, is the infrastructure, which road is very key,” he said.
He argued that road development should be treated as a national economic priority because of its direct impact on livelihoods and access to public services.
Poor roads undermine farmers' earnings
The concerns are particularly significant for Lango, where agriculture remains an important source of household income and many farmers depend on road networks to transport produce from villages to trading centres and urban markets.
Odongo said poor roads made it harder for traders to reach farming communities, while rising transport costs during the rainy season reduced the returns farmers could earn from their produce.
“The goods from our communities, from our farmers, cannot easily reach the market. Farmers who cannot access reliable transport may be forced to sell their crops at lower prices to buyers who reach their villages, rather than taking the produce to markets where they could potentially earn more,” he said.
He added that rising fuel prices were compounding the problem by increasing transport costs and squeezing farmers' earnings.
Odongo said the situation undermined government efforts to improve household incomes through programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), which seeks to move households from subsistence production into the money economy.
“With the poor road network, even those can imagine a farmer with Shs1 million going to business, with high transport costs and poor road network. We are sending that person back to zero,” he said.
Patrick Ogwang, a former Lira City Development Forum president and political commentator, said recent rains had exposed the scale of the region's road infrastructure challenges.
He cited journeys between Dokolo and Amolatar, where some motorists had been forced to use alternative routes through Kaberamaido District.
“The greatest enemy of roads is water. The situation could deteriorate further if heavy rains persist, particularly in low-lying areas and communities connected by roads that cross swamps,” Ogwang said.
He warned that prolonged rainfall could leave some communities isolated if damaged roads were not repaired promptly.
Ogwang called for an emergency response plan to help local governments repair damaged sections and prevent further disruption.
“The government should automatically plan for an emergency response action plan. Additional funding would be required to help districts repair damaged sections and prevent communities from being cut off during the rainy season,” he said.
He also questioned whether the annual Shs1 billion road maintenance allocation to districts, which he cited, was sufficient to address the scale of the anticipated damage.
The concerns highlight the difficulties local governments face in maintaining extensive road networks with limited funding, ageing equipment and recurring weather-related damage.
Districts seek emergency funding
Amolatar District chairperson Morish Ogwal Omara said the district had engaged its technical team to seek emergency funding from the Office of the Prime Minister to address damage caused by heavy rains.
“I have sat my technical team down, that we need to call for emergency fund from Prime Minister’s office because we are in the lowland,” he said.
Ogwal said the rains had caused major cuts on some roads, making movement increasingly difficult for residents.
He said the immediate priority was to prevent further deterioration and keep roads passable as the rainy season continued.
Lira District chairperson RCM Okello Orik said the district's road maintenance efforts were also constrained by ageing machinery, limiting the ability of local government teams to respond effectively to damaged roads.
“The machinery we have here in the district are very old,” he said, calling for support to acquire new equipment for road construction and maintenance.
Akii-Bua Stadium access raises concern
Beyond agriculture and access to public services, Ogwang said poor roads could undermine preparations for major sporting events in the region.
He urged the government to prioritise roads around Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium and routes connecting the facility to Lira City and the airport.
The stadium is expected to serve as an important sports facility for the region, but accessible roads will be essential for transporting athletes, officials, spectators and other visitors during major events.
“You cannot construct a beautiful stadium without road infrastructure, without the feeding roads,” Ogwang said.
He argued that connecting roads should be prioritised alongside the stadium to improve accessibility and support economic activity in surrounding communities.
Ogwang also questioned the prioritisation of Lango's roads in the 2026/2027 national budget, citing the Katine-Ochero road as one of the few projects he had identified. His assessment of the budget was not independently verified.
As heavy rains continue to expose weaknesses in the region's road network, leaders are calling for a combination of long-term investment in tarmac roads and immediate maintenance of existing routes.
They warn that without intervention, farmers could continue losing income through high transport costs, businesses could face supply disruptions and residents could struggle to reach essential services.
Odongo said the demand for better roads should not be viewed through a partisan lens but as a call for equitable national development.
“We may be in different political parties, but when it comes to the issue of national development, our focus should be on what serves the people,” he said.